The purpose of the current automotive technology is to limit gasoline use and to optimize the spark ignition automobile engine compression ratio. The compression ratio is the volume of the engine cylinder when the piston is at the bottom of its stroke to the volume in the cylinder when the piston is at the top of its stroke. In a conventional spark plug engine, the compression ratio and the amount of gas intake are fixed. With these two unchanging features, the typical light load dictates the amount of pumping losses and changes according to the size of the engine. Pumping losses are the result of a partial vacuum that occurs between the throttle and the combustion chamber. Pumping losses cause the engine to use some of its power used to drive the automobile forward towards overcoming the piston's drag and the crank resistance by drawing in air resulting in half of the power potential loss.
The current automotive technologies that aid in increased fuel economy and reduce fuel emissions through a decrease in gas utilization have become more complex. Maintenance costs increase with engine complexity. Thus, automobiles with fuel economy technology have additional associated maintenance costs as they become more automated. Therefore the development of an inexpensive and less complex electro-mechanical device that increases fuel economy, while decreasing fuel emission and automobile automation, would simplify automobile maintenance and the accessibility of engines today.
The present invention is directed to increase fuel economy and reduce emissions for spark ignition engines. An electro-mechanical hydraulic valve lifter has the potential to increase fuel economy and reduce emissions for spark ignition engines at both the pre and post-market production phases. This is due to the fact that the electro-mechanical valve lifter's components and its subsequent assembly are installable in spark-ignition engines during all phases of production. Almost no modifications of the engine or its neighboring components would be needed. The electro-mechanical hydraulic valve lifter would appeal to the automobile consumer due to simplified maintenance requirements and its similarity to variable valve timing and lift, and variable displacement in terms of performance outcomes.